For the first time TGEU publishes a Trans Rights Europe Map & Index. The map shows that 24 countries in Europe require sterilization in legal gender recognition while a total of 16 countries do not provide for any possibility to change name and gender at all.

This means that transgender people remain barred from active participation in social and economic life. Applying for a job, opening a bank account, boarding a plane can be challenging or even be impossible.

“I experience so much discrimination, harassment and violence that it has become my daily life.” reported one of the 6771 trans identified respondents of the EU LGBT survey. The study was published by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) today and presented on the occasion of the first IDAHOT forum happening in The Hague. It is the largest study ever conducted in Europe on the experience of discrimination and violence of LGBT people in the European Union and Croatia. The FRA survey reveals that transgender persons are particular subject to high levels of repeated victimisation and violence and they are two times more likely to be discriminated when looking for a job than the lesbian, gay and bisexual population.

To respect and safeguard the fundamental rights of transgender persons, the FRA recommends: EU action in the area of gender equality should explicitly cover issues linked to discrimination on the grounds of gender identity.

“The FRA study confirms that the experience of violence and discrimination of transgender people is systematic and widespread”, says Alecs Recher, member of the Executive Board of TGEU: “We expect the European Union to finally commit to a comprehensive approach towards the rights of LGBTI people which presents clear objectives and measures on how to realize human rights for all trans people”

“The Trans Rights Europe Index presents a detailed overview over the legal human rights situation for trans people in each European country. It shall guide policy makers to take action to ensure human rights and equality for all trans people”, says Richard Köhler, TGEU Policy Officer